Jersey City Street Art: Flor y Fauna

Like most big cities, Jersey City has an extensive network of street art and murals. To date, this is my favorite, located just steps away from the former La Conguita restaurant.

“Flor y Fauna (Color Libre)”

Exploring the things displaced migrants and refugees conceal and carry with them throughout their life, the very foundation of which immigrant communities are made, home is where the heart is, the destination being the journey. All this being told through the allegory of the native genesis story of the volcano Irazu of my hometown of Cartago, Costa Rica. Two indian lovers from rival tribes fall in (forbidden) love. Upon discovery of their love the furious king (cacique) kills and buries his daughter’s lover. The king was not only angry, he was sad, and because of that he couldn’t bring himself to kill his own daughter, so instead he condemns her and turns her into mist and fog for eternity. Over time the grave of the dead lover grew reaching for the sky until it eventually was able to caress and cradle the mist, his love, Irazu, for eternity. Today it is still active and the crater full of mist, yet every once in a while when the mist clears for a few moments the peak of the volcano is the only place where both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans can be seen from the same spot. The journey is the destination, seeking elevation and refuge, migrants move mountains.